Fashion

The gym isn’t a fashion show. You don’t need to be the best dressed to get the best workout, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid upgrading your look. No need to toss those old college t-shirts you love to lift in—polish your work-to-gym-to-weekend-getaway ensemble with the perfect duffel bag.

We’ve compiled a list of the five most handsome bags—from casual to chic.

Everlane The Weekender

Just like its namesake, The Weekender duffel bag is flexible, fun, and irresistible. This waterproof canvas bag is ideal for commuters or folks on short trips—it fits perfectly under Amtrak seats or in overhead compartments. Its casual colors combined with slick leather detailing will get you from the office to the gym to the beach in one weekend flat. everlane.com, $95

Topo Designs Duffel Bag

This world is tough, but this classic duffel can handle it. Complete with a Cordura shell, Topo’s classic bag survives everything from a jostling morning commute to the airline’s baggage carousel. A waterproof interior will keep your stinkin’ wet gym clothes isolated from the outside world, and a seatbelt-grade detachable shoulder strap gives you extra flexibility when lugging this duffel all around town. birchbox.com, $129

GORUCK Mil Kit Bag

There are pretty overnight bags and there are gritty gym bags, then there are GORUCK kit bags. This bag is for the heavy packer—we’re talking helmet, survival gear, and ammo. You don’t need to be a paratrooper to appreciate this military-grade quality pack. Made in the USA, GORUCK’s kit bag is waterproof, has 84 liters of space, and features tons of interior and exterior pockets for all the small things. goruck.com, $195

Trask Jackson Duffel Bag

We know you train dirty in the gym, but that doesn’t mean you can’t appreciate the finer things in life. Hidden inside this handsome wool duffel bag is stinky gym gear soaked with an hours-worth of sweat, but the outside world only sees antiqued brass hardware and a beautifully traditional design. Perfect for work and weekend jaunts, even better for tricking your colleagues into thinking you’re sophisticated. nordstrom.com, $625

Moore & Giles James Club Bag

Ditch the dowdy duffels, and pack this smart leather bag with all your weekend essentials. It might not appear to be the kind of bag you’d schlep to the gym, but with a water-resistant interior, the James Club Bag will keep your workout gear from stinking up the place. Zippered pockets keep your phone and wallet safe and snug, while a removable shoulder strap makes carrying this sleek duffel a breeze.mooreandgiles.com, $615

Fact: It is possible to be both manly and use moisturizer. This is the definition of ruggedly handsome—a man who knows his way around a WOD but still manages to get his hair to look effortlessly cool. We’ve compiled six additions to your gym bag that will make your transition from workout to the street as good looking—and simple—as possible.

Raw Material Sport Fix Soap

This black soap not only cleans up grime, but also prevents you from getting stinky again throughout the day. Its odor-fighting properties are powered by mineral-rich activated bamboo carbon, while acai berries protect from free radicals, and shea butter moisturizes your skin. getrawmaterials.com, $10

Jack Black Face Buff

Your pores may be small, but they can filled with a surprising amount of dirt. Daily face wash isn’t enough to rid your face of all the nastiness—that’s where facial scrubs step in. This Jack Black Face Buff has menthol to help wake you up in the morning, and Vitamin C to slow the signs of aging. getjackblack.com, $18

Bulldog Original Moisturizer

Wrinkles may not be your main concern in the gym, but there’s no harm taking a simple step to stop them in their tracks. This moisturizer is jam-packed with essential oils and vitamins, while skipping parabens and artificial colors. This daily moisturizer keeps your skin soft and slows premature aging. meetthebulldog.com, $11

Your hair doesn’t need to be perfectly coifed all the time, but a little product goes a long way to achieve an effortlessly cool look. This hair wax skips the glossy look of gel, but gives you the hold and pliability to style your locks any way you wish. Lightweight and organic, this product thickens your strands and adds a matte finish to your do’.hanzdefuko.com, $17.50

Smoke Perfume

The finishing touch of any grooming regime is an irresistible scent. This fragrance is inspired by New Orleans’ late night jazz scene, with vetiver grass providing an earth base and slightly spicy overtones. Smoke Perfume is an artisan scent created with essential oils in the French Quarter, and proves that being tough doesn’t mean you can’t smell awesome. smokeperfume.com, $65

Originally published at http://www.wodlounge.com/grooming-guide-ruggedly-handsome-athlete/

If this was Cosmo or Glamour, I’d start my profile of Erica Koup by describing what she wore to our interview. I’d write about her glamorous retro-style sunglasses and how effortlessly beautiful her long, curled locks were. I’d gush about how sweet and down-to-earth she was as we chatted candidly over salads at a Hummelstown gastropub. And, of course, I’d really focus on the salads, because what woman isn’t just wild about salads?

But this isn’t Cosmo. In fact, this might be the exact opposite of trashy websites that cover celebrity break-ups and bikini bod diet tips. This is a hockey blog, and Erica Koup is its stylishly sweet and whip-smart writer.

On any given weekend night in Hershey, Pennsylvania, you can spot a lone woman in the Bears’ pressbox. Where the NHL scouts end and the bloggers begin sits the founder and author of The Amateur Fan—a blog that focuses on some of Pennsylvania’s finest professional hockey teams. Eyes intently on the ice, scribbling notes and taking breaks only to inform the scout to her left exactly what’s wrong with the Philadelphia Flyers this season, anyone would be shocked to learn this isn’t Erica’s day job.

“I wanted to run for office and be a politician,” the former political science student admits. “I learned about hockey from my full-time job. I worked Hershey Bears games (as a college recruiter). The first game I went to I was like, I can’t believe you’re making me go to this… I had no idea what was going on.”

What began as an annoying job assignment morphed into The Amateur Fan, where Erica has been posting game analysis and opinions for over nine months now. And while falling in love with hockey was easy, finding her place in hockey media wasn’t as simple. As a hockey rookie and a female sports writer, it can be a struggle to gain credibility.

“I think you have to have a lot of guts (to break into the hockey writing field). You need to put yourself out there. And It’s so hard to. Especially as a female,” Erica said. “Because the guys are always thinking they know more than us, because why not? It must come with their genetics that they know more about hockey than females.”

Unfortunately, Erica’s struggle for respect isn’t unique.

Just 50 miles from Hershey, PA is Santander Arena, home to the ECHL’s Reading Royals. Among the standard male media members is Candice Monhollan who is entering her third season covering Royals hockey for various news outlets. With a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, Candice is a professional sports writer who still faces dubious stares.

“It’s a constant battle being a woman in this field. Just when you think you’ve proved yourself, someone else comes out of the woodwork to attack your credibility,” Candice admitted. “The downside, to be honest, is being a female in such a male-dominated career. In certain leagues, I can’t go into the locker room and even some places (have) to change protocol because I’m around and that shouldn’t be the case.”

Any hockey player will tell you that thick skin is vital in succeeding in this sport. Sometimes you need to let a clean hit roll off your shoulders while on the ice, you need to keep your head up and focus on the game. This is advice a female hockey writer can also learn from.

“The first few times (I published an article), I asked my buddy, can you read this and make sure it makes sense,” Erica recalled. “I’m just nervous to put it out there and be judged by people who maybe know a little more about hockey than me.”

“No one’s ever said you don’t understand hockey, just the English language,” Erica laughed. After posting an article on Reddit, “someone said I used the word ironic wrong.” Thick skin is useful when dealing with critics, but love of the game is far more effective.

To be honest, I invited Erica Koup to lunch in the hopes of delving deep into the painful struggles of a female hockey writer. Instead, I discovered over the course of our three-hour-long meal that Erica has happily embraced the challenges of being a woman in this field, and her hockey obsession may have something to do with it.

“I don’t know anyone else who sparks up a conversation about hockey at the eye doctors,” Erica said with a smile.

Up to three times a week, Erica settles into her assigned seat in the Hershey Bears’ pressbox and takes in her surroundings—the Giant Center’s lively crowd, the banter of fellow writers and the swish of skates on ice. When I asked what her favorite part of the job is, Erica simply replied, “I really like watching the games.” Love of hockey makes sitting in cold arenas for hours so easy, and it makes a career in the sport so desirable.

“I really want to work in the front office somewhere. Maybe community relations for a hockey team,” Erica explained. “If I can still write, I would love to continue writing. I sort of fell into writing. I never saw myself in the media or press category.”

Despite facing occasional negativity, Candice also finds that the pros out-weigh the cons as a female sports writer. “I love being able to get paid to watch sports. It’s one of those jobs where you wake up in the morning and don’t regret having to go to work. I love having the ability to travel and meet so many people and I enjoy above all else getting to write and share with others the unique story of an athlete.”

With The Amateur Fan’s first birthday just around the corner, Erica has plans for her second year of hockey writing—expansion, promotion and maybe a trip up North to hockey’s motherland…?

“Yea, I really do think that Canadians are perfect. I love it,” Erica joked as she described a recent trip to Toronto. “I thought I was going to cross the border and it was going to be like Celine Dion and hockey players everywhere.”

1. Do you love or hate hockey players’ mustaches during the month of Movember?
“I love them. I admire them from the pressbox. I really want to know who has the best mustache on the Bears team. Jeff Taffe can’t grow hair on his head, but he’s pretty solid in the mustache category. I like the handlebars, I think it’s a flashback to the 70s.

2. What’s your favorite hockey jersey?
“I really like the Reading Royals’ jerseys. I like purple and the lion with the crown. The throwback jersey the Hershey Bears wore—that was a really cool jersey. And I like the Avs’ jersey, I think they have nice colors.”

3. Who is your hockey player crush?
“The reason I became a Flyers fan was not because I knew anything about the Flyers, but because of Zac Rinaldo. Gabriel Landeskog comes in a close second.”

4. Would you rather your boyfriend have Brent Burns no-teeth smile or Steve Downie’s scary red post-Washington Capitals line brawl eyeball?
“Steve Downie. I didn’t see the red eyeball, but I’ve seen the developing black eye. It’s tough.”

5. What are your secrets to staying warm and looking cute at hockey games?
“Pants, nice sweater and heels. I stay pretty warm, but throughout the game it always gets colder.”

6. Puck Bunnies, thoughts?
“I don’t think I’ve run into any puck bunnies. It has to be real, because I hear it’s real, but I don’t have any thoughts on that… If you look cute going to the game, does that qualify you as a puck bunny?”

It can be argued that October is the best month of the year. Crisp autumn air fills your lungs as you stroll under the fire-hued leaves of apple trees. And even if picking apples and watching the leaves change colors doesn’t appeal to you, few can resist the festivities (and candy) that come along with Halloween. Skip the bags of chocolate and whip up a batch of ooey-gooey cupcakes in your cauldron. Slip into something a little more spooky and check out Martha Stewart’s amazing do-it-yourself Halloween makeup tutorials. Let the season inspire your table with painted pint-sized pumpkins as centerpieces. Add flare to your autumn wedding with gorgeous blind press invitations, and an unforgettable “guest book”—have guests sign blank Jenga tiles to create a fun and unique way to remember your special day!

September is one of the world’s most fashionable months, with Spring 2014 collections premiering on runways from New York City to London, and now in Milan. And after weeks of work, fashion’s top models look as beautiful on Italian runways as they did in New York earlier this month. So how do they manage to look so gorgeous so consistently? Snag fool-proof makeup and hair tips from the pros who style these beauties before they hit the runway. To keep your makeup in all the right places, never skip a high quality foundation primer—try Laura Mercier’s must-have face product. If you were lucky enough to kick up your heels at a Fashion Week party or two, celebrate this weekend with cheesy, saucy carbs. Make a pilgrimage to each of New York’s 10 best pizza joints—from gouda-melted in Greenwich to jalapeno-dotted in Bushwick. Tame wild tresses with a wavy, romantic take on the classic milkmaid braid. Once you’ve mastered the sweet look, browse fairytale-inspired engagement rings online. Not your classic solitaire, this collection of rings ranges from Art Deco to simple vintage—there’s a to-die-for gem for every taste in this sparkling collection.

Gather inspiration for your bridal style from the blush tones of an autumn peach harvest. Start your look with the elegant Winifred Bean Calla Lily gown—a strapless bustier is combined with a classic trumpet skirt to complete a sweet and structured bridal gown. Show your soft side with pale pink and gold on your eyes, rosy cheeks, and glossy nude lips. Peach and blue heels guide you down the aisle, and don’t forget sparkly jewels to add a touch of glamour—simple peach-tones gems dangle from your ears, while a bedazzled bib necklace brings glitz to your simple style. As the sun sets and the air begins to cool, stay warm with a cashmere scarf wrapped your shoulders, and maybe a little help from your handsome groom.

Summer cools into crisp fall as the peaches ripen on their branches in a Georgia orchard. Channel the delicate pink hues of this sweet Southern fruit at your fall wedding. Soft pastel stationery featuring a peach tree in full bloom is the perfect way to announce your nuptials. Frame the natural beauty of an orchard with playful streamers in varying shades of pink and peach, and walk down a garland-lined aisle with a larger-than-life bouquet in a rainbow of pinks and oranges. Vases in all shapes and sizes welcome your friends and family to a peach-accented reception. Gather your guests around tables accented with wooden bowls filled to the brim with the tender fuzzy fruit. Wrap up your peachy night with a spicy cardamom-infused signature cocktail, then sweeten things up with a towering peach-frosted cake.

Skip the pastel pink roses and head straight to vivid orange dahlias. Add a volt of electric color to your wedding with neon-inspired decor.

Start with the bloomingest details: Gather shades of blue and yellow in your bride’s bouquet, while your bridesmaids hold hot pink tulips against their dazzling yellow dresses. Line the aisle with giant round balloons anchored with flashy tassels, and carry the fringy theme into the reception hall with tasseled neon streamers. Pull up a chair to a table set in eye-popping hues—blinding yellow glassware stands beside forks and knives hand-dipped in brilliant paint. Each table is set with blazing pink and yellow blooms that perfectly match your neon-ombre cake. Send your friends and family home with hot-hued macaroons, and give them a kiss goodbye with a giant glittering and neon “XO” sign at the door.